Navy: Deployment

Mr. Hancock
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Navy ships are in service; how many were in service in 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Ingram
In August 1997 the Royal Navy had 98 ships in service. The Royal Navy currently has 75 ships in service although HMS Invincible is held at low readiness. These totals include: landing platform docks, landing platform helicopter, aircraft carriers, destroyers, frigates, mine countermeasures ships, river class offshore patrol vessels, inshore patrol craft, survey ships and the royal yacht.